Hugh Hefner, famed playboy and publisher, dies of natural causes at 91

PHOENIX — Hugh Hefner, the famed playboy and American magazine publisher of Playboy Magazine passed away Wednesday at the age of 91, the magazine announced.

Hefner passed away from natural causes at his Los Angeles home, The Playboy Mansion, surrounded by loved ones, the company confirmed.

American Icon and Playboy Founder, Hugh M. Hefner passed away today. He was 91. #RIPHef pic.twitter.com/tCLa2iNXa4

— Playboy (@Playboy) September 28, 2017

In a statement, Hefner’s son and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises Cooper Hefner said his father lived an “an exceptional and impactful life as a media and cultural pioneer.”

Cooper said his father also was a “leading voice behind some of the most significant social and cultural movements of our time in advocating free speech, civil rights and sexual freedom.”

“He defined a lifestyle and ethos that lie at the heart of the Playboy brand, one of the most recognizable and enduring in history. He will be greatly missed by many, including his wife Crystal, my sister Christie and my brothers David and Marston and all of us at Playboy Enterprises,” the statement read.

Actress Jenny McCarthy also paid tribute to Hefner, tweeting a photo of her 1994 Playboy Magazine cover with a statement that read, “RIP #Hef Thank you for being a revolutionary and changing so many people’s lives, especially mine. I hope I made you proud.”

RIP #Hef Thank you for being a revolutionary and changing so many people's lives, especially mine. I hope I made you proud. 😓#PMOY 94 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/sF9ARYgEpw

— Jenny McCarthy (@JennyMcCarthy) September 28, 2017

Hefner was born in Chicago on April 9, 1926 to Grace and Glenn Hefner, who were both teachers from Nebraska. He served as a writer for a military newspaper in the U.S. Army during World War II.

After serving in the war, Hefner graduated from the University of Illinois at Champaign with a bachelors degree in psychology and a double minor in creative writing and art.

Hefner launched Playboy Magazine in 1953, after taking out a mortgage, a $600 bank loan and $8,000 from 45 investors. His first issue, published in December of that year, featured Marilyn Monroe and sold more than 50,000 copies.

Today, the magazine is published in more than 20 countries and brings in more than $1 billion in sales annually.

Hefner was well-known for being a playboy, engaging in various relationships with young women and living a lavish lifestyle.

In 2012, Hefner married model Crystal Harris. He was 86 and she was 26. He is survived by Harris and his four children with his two previous wives, Mildred Williams and Kimberley Conrad: Christie, David, Marston and Cooper.

At the time of his death, Hefner’s net worth was alleged to be more than $43 million. The company did not provide information about Hefner’s memorial or burial services.

Related

Trump renews effort to limit birthright citizenship with scaled-back executive actionsMichigan confirms first 2 US deaths related to cyclospora outbreakBlanche wins support of GOP holdouts after negotiating funding agreementMultiple people dead after shooting at In-N-Out Burger in southern IdahoTrump could pull Blanche’s attorney general nomination until dissenting senators leave officeGlen Hansard, Academy Award winner for indie musical ‘Once,’ dies in motorcycle crash